Rock ‘n’ roll pioneer Jerry Lee Lewis, the notorious singer behind Great Balls of Fire, has died aged 87.
In a statement, Lewis’s publicist Zach Farnum said: “He was there at the beginning, with Elvis, Johnny Cash, Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Carl Perkins, Fats Domino, Buddy Holly, and the rest, and watched them fade away one by one till it was him alone to bear witness, and sing of the birth of rock ‘n’ roll.”
Lewis passed away at his home in Desoto County, Mississippi, with his wife, Judith, by his side, a statement from his publicist said.
Nicknamed “The Killer”, Lee Lewis was as well known for his controversial private life as his music.
One of the last survivors of the rock ‘n’ roll golden age, his career was briefly halted when, aged 22, he married his 13-year-old cousin Myra Gale Brown.
He spoke about that marriage in an interview after lighting up a cigar.
Jerry Lee Lewis died at his home in Desoto County, Mississippi, south of Memphis with his wife Judith by his side.
“Lewis, perhaps the last true, great icon of the birth of rock ‘n’ roll, whose marriage of blues, gospel, country, honky-tonk and raw, pounding stage performances so threatened a young Elvis Presley that it made him cry, has died,” publicist Zach Farnum said.
The musician suffered from various illnesses and injuries in the final years of his life, with doctors often telling him they should have taken him decades ago, Mr Farnum said.
He added that just before his death, Lewis’ wife Judith said: “He is ready to leave.”
Born in 1935 in Ferriday, Louisiana, Lewis later moved to Memphis, Tennessee where he found work as a studio musician for Sun Studios.
While working at Sun, he and Carl Perkins jammed with Presley and Johnny Cash in a session that would later be referred to as being played by the “Million Dollar Quartet”.
Across this career, his music became a hit in the pop, country and R&B charts.
He also became known for his famous stage antics, such as playing standing up and even lighting the occasional piano on fire.
Lewis was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s first class in 1986 and a few years later in 1989, he was honoured for his contribution to the recording industry with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
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